Captive for Christ.

We've all heard or had directed at us at some point in our lives "don't judge!" But what exactly did Jesus mean by it in His Sermon on the Mount? 

Live Recording: In this topical based message I look at the 9th Article of the Apostles Creed concerning the significance of the Church of Jesus Christ as a corporate body and gathered people, in the plans of God.

Live Recording: Who is Jesus really? In Hebrews 1:1-4 we find one of the most awe-inspiring descriptions of His true identity. The all supreme matchless Christ and divine Son of God.

Live Recording: In a world of uncertainty, how is the believer to respond? Paul instructs the Church, take up the armour of God! 

"An old school teacher of mine had a saying, “get over over it, life sucks then you die“. In these words is found a mighty confession, for one can only think of life this way if the concept of peace remains elusive. In a way of saying, that we each have a deep sense that somehow peace doesn’t manifest as we think it ought. And I presume this deep sense is related to my teacher’s reminder that “life sucks”, as morbid as that sounds. Now while it is true society cannot function without some measure of peace, it is a false peace. For at any moment a relationship can dissolve, public harmony collapse or nations in treaty declare war. We ask then, can any certain peace be known?"

"Never short on jest, in Mark Twain’s English edition of Greek philosopher Plutarch’s, ‘Lives of Illustrious Men’, he playfully mocks the translator. Besides the phrase, “translated from the Greek”, Twain scribbled, “into rotten English”. Now, we needn’t worry nor care whether the English prose was as Twain indicated. What I think is true is this notion that any well-intended project if misguided will always in retrospect be the equivalent of ‘rotten English’. So, shall we consider a candidate from our New Zealand context, ‘hate speech’."

Live Online Recording: Peace with God! Christian, God no more remembers your ledger of guilt acquired through disobedience, because Jesus carried it on His person in life, fixed it to His cross in death and so needn’t consider it in resurrection, paid in full.

"Truly prayer is at odds with one’s natural impulses. And indeed, to the watching world, prayer is perhaps the most ridiculed of Christian doctrines. Though curiously in the unbeliever’s distress, prayer to the unknown gods formulate without hesitation. For unsurprisingly, desperation remains a great schoolmaster on prayer. And we’ve all heard, of course, the politician with no regard for Christ on Sunday resort on Monday to the old cliché “our thoughts and prayers are with them”. So of interest here is the Christian and prayer, and the test of whether we are merely practical atheists when it comes to intercession."

Music: Cutting Edge by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

"The witted wordsmith C.S Lewis, in his masterful book 'the Screwtape letters' voiced through senior demon Screwtape, “The humans live in time, but our Enemy destines them to eternity. He therefore, I believe, wants them to attend chiefly to two things. To eternity itself, and to that point of time which they call the present. For the present is the point at which time touches eternity.” Screwtape then argues that the most effective way to distract people from eternity and the present is to concern them with the future. For the futures unknown’s, possible pleasures and pitfalls dim any true assessment of eternity. But I warn you, the future is your gamble without odds."

Music: Cutting Edge by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Live Recording: In finishing a three part series covering the global flood, we take a look at the events following Noah and family exit from their ark of salvation. What we find shall set the tenor for the storyline of scripture. For the important themes of atonement, redemption and covenant emerge.